Show-Me-Select heifers average $2,097

Monday

Dec 10, 2012 at 4:35 PMDec 10, 2012 at 4:36 PM

A registered Angus heifer sold for $4,100 to take top price in the 16-year history of the Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program.

A registered Angus heifer sold for $4,100 to take top price in the 16-year history of the Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program.The heifer was sold by Jim and Sharon Schlager, Canton, and bought by Taylor Lay, Lewistown.That helped bring overall average to $2,097 for the 312 SMS bred heifers sold at F&T Livestock Auction, Palmyra. The northeastern Missouri sale was the fourth and final of the fall season for young females raised in mostly commercial cow herds enrolled in the University of Missouri Extension program.The Schlagers were top consignor on average price at $2,664 for 11 purebred registered Angus.Keithley/Jackson Farm, Frankford, took second-highest average of $2,556 on 25 head of Angus-Hereford crossbred heifers.Largest consignment of 43 head came from Terry Mudd, Twin Hill Stock Farm, Silex. They averaged $2,012.Dave Patterson, MU Extension beef specialist and founder of the heifer program, said the four fall sales represented the highest prices in its 16-year history.Greg Drebes of Prairie View Farms, Monroe City, said his heifers, 28 Simmental and Sim-Angus crosses, were in good condition from fall-grown grass. But he remains concerned about water levels in stock ponds.Drebes heifers averaged $2,307, with a top of $2,700. Drebes, and Ed Jackson, have consigned heifers every sale for 16 years.Producers can enroll their herds before Feb. 1 by paying a $5 fee. Later a per-head fee will be charged, depending how many entered.